At the corner of 23rd Street and Walker Avenue in Oklahoma City is a concept that has been flourishing for quite some time now. It’s a fresh idea that one wouldn’t usually associate with the landlocked state of Oklahoma. It’s an oyster bar.

The Drake Seafood and Oysterette is a quintessential ode to the burgeoning 1960’s. Once you enter the place, you immediately notice the calm pool blue splashed upon the bar’s back walls, adorned with brass shelving and white marble counter tops. Spacious rotundas and brass dome lamps circle around the restaurant, all accents of mid-century modern design.

With her vibrant dyed hair, a color almost in sync with the restaurant’s surroundings, our waitress (and dual-role as a bartender) Amy, shows us the ropes about all the variations of oysters that The Drake has to offer. Each circular metal nest Amy brings out to us takes us on a seashore journey–from New Brunswick with the Saint Simon, to Rhode Island with the Moonstone, to Chesapeake Bay with the Wellfleet, and then west to Washington state with the Diamond Point. The array of sauces paired with the oysters are a kaleidoscopic fleet for the taste buds themselves. Even the chile-lime sauce infused fish tacos make for a delightful escape. Despite the busyness that the popularity of the place brings, Amy beams with energy. When she tells us that she enjoyed having a weekday date night with her husband, we can perceive that sort of break doesn’t affect the refreshment she gets from sharing with patrons about The Drake’s selection of oysters and bustling around the bar counter.

As we savor our seafood dishes, we cannot help but be mesmerized by The Drake’s interior. It parallels with the Earth’s counter part to land mass, the saline water that covers more than 70% of our world. Aside from the color of the bar walls, the sand hued surfaces of the tables and seagull white Eiffle dining chairs conjure up reminiscences of the sea. The oysterette is a mixture of glamour but yet quaint. It surprises you. Silverware is from estate sales, and each utensil is unique, just like The Drake itself.

Not only does The Drake bait you from within it’s walls, but once you leave the restaurant, you cannot help but stop and stare at its sign. It towers on top of the building, right at the corner of the street. The glitz of the multi-hued signage washes over you and then pulls you in like a lavender toned sunset dipping into the ocean.

Sometimes the endless plains and scarce availability of hills makes us forget that Oklahoma has its own natural gems. One of these natural gems is nestled in the southern part of the state, just an hour and a half away from the state capital. This place is called the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Abundant with wildlife, such as bison, longhorns, prairie dogs, hawks, and the colorful mountain boomer lizards, the Wichita Mountains do not disappoint. On top of that, there are several pristine lakes for kayaking and fishing, adventurous hiking trails ranging from easy sightseeing to the more advanced, and of course the regal, granite mountains that make up its landscape.

A few weekends ago, we ventured out to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge and pitched our tent at the Doris Campgrounds. Our campsite couldn’t be more serendipitous, as it sat right by Quanah Parker Lake. Although it was in the prime of the summer, with temperatures soaring in the triple digits, the breeze that arose from the lake and fluttered throughout our tent provided much needed relief from the heat.

We spent our mornings hiking in the backcountry of the Charon’s Garden Wilderness, taking the trail to Post Oak Falls, climbing up Elk Mountain, all while cherishing the wildlife that came across our paths. We spent the afternoon lazying about our campsite, cooking, playing games, and relaxing. At golden hour, we were mesmerized by the magical sunset as we viewed it from the summit of Mount Scott, and we continued our wonderment by gazing at the sparkling sequins in the night sky later at nightfall on the bridge crossing Quanah Parker Lake.

There’s nothing like getting out into the wilderness, and being away from the busyness of life. All you hear as you lay down to sleep in your tent is the crackling of charcoal fires, the symphony of insects, and the soft tread of deer passing through, with an endless amphitheater of stars right above you.

There was so much to explore and enjoy in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, that we were not able to experience them all. But that’s okay, because it certainly has captivated our hearts and we will back very soon to that wonderful, magnificent place.

There are few places that so vast yet so serene that make you stop and take everything in. Gettysburg is one of those places. It is a place rich with history, sacrifices, and reverence. Each monument and statue that revealed events and casualties were purposeful. All the old barns that shielded soldiers from their enemies hundreds of years ago stood on the empty, endless fields, as red and stone symbols that humanity may be fragile, but nonetheless are history makers. The beauty of Gettysburg is indescribable. Its effect on all of us on how priceless freedom is, is well worth the visit.